This was a cute book, probably better suited for a younger audience. The adventure was fun, and the statue element was unique. The world building could have used a little more detail.

I personally thought there were too many pop culture and current references, starting with Taylor Swift in the first few pages of chapter 1,

3.5 rounded up because some of my issues may just be because I am older than the target audience

Perfect for fans of What The River Knows, The Mummy, The Lost City (and Jungle Cruise).

I literally couldn’t put this book down. The story was so captivating, and Van and Margot have some of the best chemistry. The way their relationship develops is so perfect and I just can’t put into words how much I love them.


I love a good treasure hunt story, and Us in Ruins had so much action and mystery to keep me hooked through the entire thing. (Seriously. I read the whole book in a day!) I loved Margot’s determination to prove everyone wrong about her and Van was so fun and snarky. I’m no good with predicting twists and that still holds true. The setting descriptions were so atmospheric, it really helped me to visualize the story as it unfolded and made me feel like I was actually there.

3.75,

If there’s two things I love in life it’s books and archeology.
This book was perfect for my summer vacation, very atmospheric, and fun, keeping me entertained every time I picked it up! Us in Ruins is a combination of Lizzie McGuire The Movie x Percy Jackson as we follow two teenagers traveling around Italy in the search for pieces that belong to an ancient treasure, The Vase of Venus. Curses and romance getting in the way. Rachel Moore’s second novel is perfect for those who want to read a cute rom-com by the beach while simultaneously being transported to a reality where statues come to life, and happily ever afters are guaranteed. Although this isn’t one of the best summer books I’ve read, it’s cute and lighthearted, the characters keeping you engaged with the story not to mention the main character is so relatable! Truly refreshing to read about an emotional girly protagonist when it feels like there are only physically strong bad-ass heroines nowadays. And don’t get me wrong Margot is strong just emotionally a representation that very much matters for young girls, it's very clear she loves and cares deeply and that’s what makes her so great and allows her to have a connection with a certain audience of girls (me)
The book was well paced nothing feeling too rushed or slowed, and the romance was super cute making you feel like you’re watching a 2000’s rom-com!

Thank you Netgalley and Rachel Moore for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review, I truly had a blast!

Before reading, I believed this would be THE book of September. It seemed to fit perfectly into my newly minted "Adventure Academia" niche genre, but it fell flat for me. That being said this is a great story for teens learning to love themselves and learning how to be loved just as they are with a little archeological adventure thrown in. Younger audiences who just want fun and won't look too deeply into logistics or plot holes will not be dissatisfied. But I was lol.

I had high hopes as the concept was *chef’s kiss*, but it felt too convenient. The characters’ interactions were too pre-planned and stiff as if they were written to fulfill a trope or hyper-specific concept the author loves. Where was the heart? It’s also very YA. I can’t blame it as it is about teens but I don’t want to read about teens acting like teens. 😅 Middle and high schoolers would probably love this.

I had the same problem with Us in Ruins as What the River Knows. Amazing concept, mediocre execution. Margot and Van felt like factory-setting characters…their interactions were cringy. If I had just been awoken from stone after almost one hundred years OR been the person present to see a human changing from stone to flesh and blood, I’d be a little more freaked out! They’re both too okay with their situation. It felt like the author wrote out her plot points then forgot to fill in the actual story. Maybe she suffered from the current publishing trend of hitting tropes rather than writing a unique and naturally progressive story.

I didn’t really enjoy the concept of Margot already knowing who Van was because she had found his journal which included a photo of him. She kept imagining him there on the dig site and wondering what he would be doing and thinking and I think it wouldn’t been more interesting if she didn’t know of him. It was almost like the author wrote preceding scenes in which Margot spent time reading Van's journal and feeling like she knew him but then they were cut or something. Because she may feel like she had admiration for him, but the readers just get a sense of insta-love.

OMG I absolutely adored reading this fun lil adventure of a book! (Yes I know the cover is pretty but it was equally entertaining on the insides I promise)

The FMC was a really well flushed out character who felt real and relatable in so many ways which made for delightful reading. I do wish a bit more was done in that regards for the MMC in that regards, as at times where there was an opportunity to round him out things got glossed over to maintain a quicker pacing it felt.

As for the plot of the book, I was hooked for the get-go! It didn't detract from my enjoyment but I did wish that the world building leaned into the fantasy elements a smidge more as I'm just a sucker for that, but in many ways it was just the right amount to for the plot and story the author was conveying.

At the end of the day I couldn't put this book down, and when I had to I just wanted to be reading it anyway! Which makes me immensely grateful to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing my with an eARC for this book. All opinions are my own.

It was adventures like the mummy but with ancient pompeii and greek gods. I sweeped through it with the need to finish it. It was heart racing action and the idea, the plot was utterly amazing. It made for a sweet romance with an adventure to put an urn together for treasure. At the end love was the treasure not gold. I absolutely loved this story.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Us in Ruins is a fun YA adventure with a side of romance. Inspired by the journal of a Van, a handsome teenage archaeologist, Margot applies for a spot on her school’s trip to Pompeii. She uses this as an opportunity to look for the shards of the Vase of Venus Aurelia, which Van was pursuing before he went missing in 1932. When she locates the ruins Van wrote about in his journal before his disappearance, she finds a statue that looks just like him. It turns out that the statue actually is Van, and he comes back to life after Margot enters the ruins. Unfortunately, he is not quite the boy Margot idolized him to be based on his writing. They become reluctant partners, facing trials and challenges while searching for shards of the vase.

Overall I enjoyed this book, it’s fast-paced and kept me reading to see what happens next. I liked the banter between Margot and Van, and their shared vulnerabilities about being inadequate. I would have liked a bit more build up to their romance, and more time to enjoy that romance before the story ended. An extended epilogue would have worked nicely.

I feel that this book would have benefited from the characters being in college instead of high school. I expected to suspend disbelief for the mythological elements of this story, but not for the more realistic aspects. Margot’s teacher/chaperone is oddly unconcerned and often unaware of her seventeen year old student regularly disappearing throughout the trip. She’s also a bit too accepting of Van, a “new transfer student” suddenly appearing to join their class in Pompeii. When I was in college, I studied abroad in Rome for a few weeks (and visited Pompeii one of the days!) As adults, we had a lot of freedom to go off on our own outside of required class time. I think Margot’s actions would have been more believable in a similar education setting.

This book was so fun! The adventure took center stage while the romance sizzled on the side. To me it made it perfect to recommend to my young high schoolers, the 9th and 10th graders, even 7th and 8th graders might enjoy it. These age groups tend to get left behind imo.

Would definitely hand to a teen who loves the idea of travel and the ones obsessed with archaeology and other cultures, you know the ones!

3.75
thank you to net galley & the author for providing me with an arc for this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was super cute and a bit more rom commy then I expected if that makes sense. It definitely felt like it was leaning on the romance aspect very heavily as opposed to the plot which is fine just not exactly what I was expecting. This book was also suprisingly funny and I laughed out loud at a few jokes which was unexpected. Definitely a breath of fresh air in between the 1-3 star books i’d been reading. I kinda don’t have much to say but i did like it.

This was a really fun book! Margo was a great main character that was up against really genuine internal hurdles that I think would be great for teens to read. This book really felt like YA in the best way — it felt like it was truly written for teens. The writing was great, at times beautiful and descriptive and other times so funny and genuine.

While I don’t think I was necessarily the intended audience for this book, it was a very enjoyable read! It had the distinct feel of a modern YA book, with present-day references every other paragraph which got tedious at times, but the story itself was really interesting and fun!

Margot is a strong lead, though she struggles with her emotions and is known to be “too much”, a feeling I think a lot of teenage girls can relate with. When she stumbles on the man of her dreams (quite literally), she learns that everything isn’t always like it is in romance books. The growth of both main characters is evident by the end of the book.

I’d recommend this for true young adult readers. I think adults who like to read YA (myself included) may not find it a perfect fit, but it is a great read for teens looking for a bigger story with romance but no spice (a few kisses at the end of the book only).

Well, folks. It's near the end of July, and here I am, writing up my first review of the year. The cover looks like it was made by AI, and the book synopsis seems a bit too romantic and cliche for my kind of thing precisely, but nonetheless. I was interested in the Mediterranean-ish vibe this was giving off, so here we are.

Margot's famous for her characteristic red lipstick - and the way she never sticks to one hobby for too long. Which is why, after discovering an archaeologist's journal at her school library, she suddenly develops a romanticized interest in archeology, much to the "displeasure" of her classmates who have been in the field longer. After her school arranges a visit to Italy, Margot accidentally brings a statue back to life and ends up in quite a few mishaps in the pursuit of a mythological vase.

I'll confess, it took me some time to figure out the age of the characters. They acted too mature and could easily pass for adults. It wasn't until passing the halfway point that they started to resemble actual teenagers a bit more, and I personally don't believe that's the best time to be showing that they could 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙮 be actual teenagers.

There were also a few "plot holes" or "unexplained things" throughout the book. First, why does everyone have somewhat of a prestigious background? Is the school itself prestigious? That has never been clarified, and there's such a minimum amount of information about the school in general. In addition... this really doesn't have a "school age setting". Margot disappears for hours on end, gets into legal trouble, shows up with a random teenage boy, and there are no consequences for that? It honestly sounds quite absurd considering how most schools would not be so "liberal" since they hold a lot of liability for students and can run into legal trouble.
(Spoilers ahead)

<spoiler> Not to mention that she manages to escape a lot of things unscathed. Furthermore, how did Astrid say the vase was discovered to the press? It's not characteristic of her personality, and at the time, she believed she held the shards, so things don't add up there at all. </spoiler>

And finally, the romance as a whole just seems quite... what's the word? Somewhat rushed? Vans kind of seems to go through such a dramatic change in personality.

At any rate, I didn't find the book to be quite engaging nor did I particularly hate on it, so that's 3 stars from me.

I think any book that thanks Brendan Fraser first in the acknowledgments automatically gets 4 stars, but what made this 5 stars is just how fun and adventurous the story was. This is what a YA book should be: fun, light, relatable characters, all with a bit of magic and nostalgia throughout.
I only wish it had been longer! And I would have loved Van's POV a few times, if only to get his thoughts on the twenty-first century!

Does anyone else remember that one Tumblr post that went super viral in which there's a statue that comes to life when their soulmate kisses him/it? And everyone was in the replies begging it to become a book/movie?

Well, for those who remember that iconic post, consider your wish granted, because that post is personified (and then mixed with The Mummy) in Us in Ruins!

Plus, the cover art is actually to die for.

For those who haven't seen that post and/or The Mummy, this book revolves around 17-year-old Margot, who is on her Lizzy-Maguire-esque trip to Italy. But instead of falling in love with a pop star, Margot reawakens the infamous archaeologist Van, who has been a statue for the last century. The two then take part in five dangerous trials across Italy/Pompeii to configure the Vase of Venus Aurelia in the hopes of breaking the vase's curse and (maybe) getting endless treasure in the process.

This book from cover to epilogue got me hook, line, and sinker. I finished this book in two sittings and I genuinely did not want to put it down. This is a major upgrade from Rachel Moore's debut novel, Library of Shadows (LOS), and I think it's because the author has found her niche and can learn from LOS' criticisms.

Granted, however, several qualms I had with Library of Shadows were still apparent in US IN RUINS.

For starters, this is another one of those YA books where the characters could have greatly benefited from being aged up to college.

I have never heard of a high school elective being an archaeological dig site in Italy, nor have I ever heard of high school teachers being so chill with their students galivanting off on their own in a foreign country. Like, I was once on a school field trip where my high school teacher wouldn't even let me take ibuprofen for my headache because of the "safety risk", but trapezing around Italy with a stranger is A-OK.

Further, Margot suffers from 'special snowflake' syndrome, in which she's surprised that her actions have consequences/the world doesn't revolve around her. Such as:
A) Margot, who has no interest in archaeology aside from a myth and a romance book, beats out other students with previous archaeological experience to go on this trip (keeping in mind college apps are on the line) but is surprised when other students are bitter about it.
B) A student is annoyed to be partnered with Margot because she doesn't want her grades to suffer. She points out Margot will probably make her do all the work (she does) and that she doesn't know a trowel from a spade (she doesn't). Margot cries, then proves her right.
C) Her dad, upon finding out his daughter snuck away to a foreign country for one of her exploratory "phases" books her a return flight home that (I'm assuming) probably cost a fortune. Margot refuses to get on the flight and then proceeds to be sad when her dad is upset.

Granted, I did have a greater appreciation for Margot while being inside her mind, and I found that the author did a great job at making her characters more personable/relatable.

That being said, while these issues caused me to dock a star, my overall enjoyment far exceeded my annoyance. So, while I think younger audiences will thoroughly enjoy Margot and Van, older audiences may have to suspend reality to enjoy everything that US IN RUINS encompasses. The plot is assuredly fast-paced to keep you hooked and the trials are captivating. This can definitely be seen as Rachel Moore's breakthrough moment.

As always, my deepest thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins, and Rachel Moore for an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest and fair review.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC of this book!

This was certainly a wild ride of a read! “Us in Ruins” follows Margot, a young girl who is driven to find a missing vase in the ruins of Pompeii. No one has seen this vase since the 1930s. With the help of a boy who also went missing at the time of the vase, Margot goes on a wild an adventure to find the missing pieces of this vase.

One thing that I loved about this novel was the callback to Moore’s prior work. If you read “The Library of Shadows” you may recognize a few names and references. So I would definitely recommend giving this book a try if you like Moore’s world building.

The main issues I had with this book came down to the pacing of the novel. I felt like we did not get enough time to really get to know Margot before the primary plot, and I would have loved a few chapters clearly outlining her background before the main plot of the story. The poor pacing did not allow for the romance between the two main characters to be properly developed. The plot of the novel was mostly spent with the search for the missing vase, rather than moments of proper character development. It felt like Moore was more concerned with witty and rude banter, that I felt the characters did not have enough common ground to form a romantic relationship. The book has been marketed as enemies-to-lovers, but the characters spend 80% of the book as enemies with only the last few pages as “lovers”.

I would recommend this book if you read Moore’s previous novel, or are looking for an adventure packed novel!

Us in Ruins was not as serious as the cover or synopsis led me to believe but it is full of adventure and I related a lot to Margot (I don't think it's ever explicitly stated but I read her as a fellow girl with ADHD). The romance fell really flat for me, which was a shame.

Imagine blending the adventure of The Mummy with the quirky charm of Encino Man, and you’ve got a pretty good idea of what to expect. If you're a fan of witty banter, ancient curses, and a love story that defies time itself, this book will be your new obsession.

Meet Margot Rhodes, an amateur archaeologist with a heart that’s more shattered than the mythical Vase of Venus Aurelia she’s hunting. Armed with nothing but a shovel and a 1932 journal from a lost teenage explorer, Van Keane, she embarks on an archaeological trip to Pompeii.
As Margot follows Van’s poetic journal entries, she finds herself smitten with a boy who vanished nearly a century ago. Just when you think things couldn’t get more intriguing, she stumbles upon a statue that looks suspiciously like Van. And then it comes to life. Cue the gasps!

Enter Van Keane, now very much alive and not at all the dreamy poet Margot had imagined. He’s sharp, he’s snarky, and he’s got his own agenda for retrieving the vase. The chemistry between these two is electric, full of frustration-fueled banter and enough tension to rival a Shakespearean play. But, alas, it takes two to survive Venus’s death-defying challenges.

The adventure that ensues is a series of double-crosses, magical escapades, and shenanigans that will have you laughing out loud. Margot and Van must navigate ancient curses, dodge danger, and piece together not just the vase, but their own fragmented pasts. The stakes are high, but so are the laughs and the swoon-worthy moments.

Rachel Moore has crafted a tale that’s equal parts thrilling and heartwarming. Her writing is as enchanting as ever, drawing you into a world where magic and love are the ultimate treasures. The characters are vibrant, the plot is fast-paced, and the romance is just the right mix of sweet chemistry.

This book is more than just an adventure rom-com; it’s a story about healing, about finding love in the most unexpected places, and about piecing together the broken parts of our lives.

So, grab your metaphorical shovels, fellow book lovers, and dig into this enchanting, swoon-worthy tale. Five stars, because Rachel Moore has unearthed a literary gem that’s worth every moment of your time.

I know it’s YA, but it felt a little too juvenile for me. It was a very fun premise, but it was hard to get over the author using words like ‘yuckiness.’ I know this is super pedantic but the author also kept referring to things as ‘pottery shards’ and the correct term in archeology is ‘pottery sherd.’

Special thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy. "Us in Ruins" follows Margot Rhodes as she embarks on an archaeological dig with a study abroad-esque program. Her goal? To find a mystical vase that she read about in a journal left by Van Keane, an explorer who disappeared in the 1930s in a freak cave in. Or...did he?

Listen. It was fine. Honestly, I missed the part where it was a YA novel, and I found Margot to be a bit whiny, but her attitude makes more sense when you learn that she's seventeen. All problems are worse when you're seventeen. Including when you find a cute boy who was literally made of marble, like, two minutes ago? Their chemistry was fine, but the pacing was a bit rushed. Fun adventure, but the romance felt a bit forced there at the end?

An Ancient Roman artefact? A treasure hunter frozen in marble for nearly 100 years? An archaeology student on a summer dig in Italy? What else do you need?

The plot of this book is jam packed and the characters were really fun to get to know. There were definitely some bits that didn't make total sense, but I was enjoying myself enough that I could overlook them.

Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for review